


It all started with a house party

by molstrom



Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:15:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/molstrom/pseuds/molstrom
Summary: I messed with the timeline of Season three a bit to make this work. *shrugs* Mostly I just made Logan and Veronica break up for good sooner...
Relationships: Don Lamb/Veronica Mars
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	It all started with a house party

My dad was away for a few days working on a case, and since it was slow at the office, I didn’t have any active cases I was currently working on, so I’m sitting at my desk in my room working on homework when there’s a knock at my door. I try to ignore it, maybe they’ll go away, but they just keep knocking. I get up to answer it, and I see Mac and Wallace on the other side. I open the door, and they both push past me into the apartment.

I roll my eyes, close the door and say:  
“Hi guys, come on in.”

Wallace puts the bags in his hands down on the counter and says:  
“You wouldn’t come out with us, so we brought the party to you.”  
“Guys, I didn’t want to come because I’m tired and Dad’s gone. I don’t get many nights when I don’t have a case to work.”

Mac puts her bag down and says:  
“Exactly. We don’t get many nights when you’re available either, so we are going to drink, and eat, and dance around your living room to loud, obnoxious music.”  
“I don’t get a say in this, do I?”

Mac and Wallace look at each other and then say in unison:  
“Nope.”  
“Well, I hope you at least brought tasty drinks and snacks.”

I walk over to the counter and start taking things out of bags. I look at everything and shake my head.  
“So, the answer to that is no.”

Wallace laughs and says:  
“Sorry, Princess. We brought what we had. Deal with it.”

Mac finds some music and turns it up too loudly.   
“Mac, the neighbours are going to complain.”  
“Let them. We’re teenagers with no adult supervision.”  
“Fine. If we’re doing this, Wallace, start mixing drinks.”

Two hours later, we are all very drunk, and there’s a loud banging at the door. I open it to see Sheriff Lamb, Sacks and another deputy standing there.  
“Veronica Mars. We’ve gotten complaints about the noise coming from your apartment.”  
Lamb shoves past me and walks over to the stereo to turn it off. He looks around and says:  
“Where’s Keith?”  
“Dad’s out of town.”

Lamb turns to look at me. (I might be crazy, or just really drunk, but he looks concerned.)  
“You’re alone? For how long?”  
“Few days. He’s working. It’s not like this is unusual. I can take care of myself.”  
“Yeah…It looks like it.”

Lamb looks at Sacks and the other Deputy and says:  
“You two take these ones home. I’m going to stay with Veronica to make sure she doesn’t choke on her vomit.”

Wallace looks at me and says:  
“Veronica? Are you okay with that?”  
“Go on home, Wallace. I’ll get rid of Lamb and be fine.”  
Mac touches my shoulder and says:  
“Call me tomorrow?”  
“Of course.”

Sacks takes Wallace, and the other Deputy takes Mac, and both pairs walk out the door.

I walk over to the couch and flop down.  
“I don’t need you here. I can take care of myself. Been doing it for a long time. Go away.”  
“I’m not leaving Veronica.”  
“I don’t want you here, Deputy. Leave me alone.”

I curl up on the couch and say:  
“You know the way out. Lock the door when you leave.”

He walks over to the door and for a second I’m worried he’s going to listen to me and leave (I don’t want him here, but I don’t really want to be alone), but he just turns the deadbolt and walks back over to the couch.  
“Do you need some water?”  
“Don’t want water. Want sleep.”  
“Okay.”

He picks me up and carries me to my bedroom. He puts me down on my bed and pulls the covers over me.

****************************  
****************************

Veronica falls asleep as soon as I’ve tucked her in, so I decide to go out to my car and get my gym bag. If I’m going to be sleeping here, I don’t want to do it in my uniform. When I come inside, I lock the door behind me and head to the bathroom to change for bed. 

I’m in the hallway, pulling bedding out of the closet so I can sleep on the couch when I hear Veronica crying. I open her bedroom door and I pull the desk chair up to the side of the bed. I sit down and put my hand on the side of Veronica’s head.   
“It’s okay, Veronica. Everything’s okay. You’re safe, at home, in bed.”

She doesn’t wake up, but she curls her body closer to me and wraps her arm around my leg. I keep stroking her hair until she stops crying and goes back to sleep. I gently move her arm from around my leg and stand up. I move the chair back to the desk and start to leave the room. As I get to the door, I hear Veronica softly say:  
“Don?”  
“I didn’t mean to wake you up, Veronica. I’m sorry. Go back to sleep.”  
“Will you stay?”  
“I’m going to sleep on the couch. I’ll still be here in the morning.”  
“No. Please. Stay here. I don’t like to sleep alone when I’m drunk, and you made Mac leave.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yes. Please.”

I leave the door open and walk over to the bed. Veronica doesn’t move away from the edge of the bed, so I climb over her to get between her and the wall. I lay down in the small bed, trying my best to not touch her. Once I get settled, I close my eyes and try to ignore the scent of Veronica that surrounds me. A few minutes later, Veronica rolled over and curled into me, resting her head on my chest.  
“Veronica?”

Her only response is snoring softly. I give up my attempts to not touch her and wrap my arms around her before quickly falling asleep.

****************************  
****************************

For a brief moment when I wake up, I don’t know where I am, and then I realize that I’m in my own bed, but there’s a person wrapped around me. Before turning around, I know that it’s not Mac or Wallace, and my stomach roils with fear. (Oh god…it happened again.) I try to carefully extract myself from his arms so I can get up, but he senses my movement and tightens his arms…only slightly, but enough to trigger a panic attack. Before I realize what’s happening, I am hyperventilating and crying. While I’m panicking, I hear a voice behind me say:  
“Veronica, it’s okay. Just breathe, baby.”   
(I recognize that voice…Why do I recognize that voice?)  
“Let me go.”

The arms around me loosen, and I’m able to get out of bed. Once I’m standing, I turn around and stare in shock at the man in my bed.  
“What. The. Hell? Why are you in my bed? Why are you even here?”  
“I stayed last night because I didn’t want you to be alone. I was going to sleep on the couch, but you asked me to stay in here.”  
“No way did I do that.”  
“You very much did.”  
“Well, I was drunk. I can’t believe you climbed into bed with me when I was that drunk. What else did you do that I don’t remember?”  
“What?”   
(He looks hurt that I would even think that.)  
He quickly sits up and moves to the edge of the bed, so he’s sitting in front of me.  
“Veronica, I would never…I’m sorry me being here scared you when you woke up. You were crying last night, and when I came in to comfort you, you asked me to stay. You said you don’t like to sleep alone when you’re drunk, and since I made Mac leave, I needed to stay.”

I take a step back from my bed (from him), and say:  
“Well, it’s morning, and I’m fine now. Please leave.”  
“Okay. I’ll go. I just wanted to make sure you were okay last night. Didn’t feel right leaving you alone.”

He stands up and walks out of my bedroom. (Shit. That wasn’t very polite, Veronica.) I walk out of my room, following him to the living room.  
“Sorry, Veronica. I’ll just get changed, and then I’ll go.”

(How is this the first I’ve noticed that he’s standing here in basketball shorts and no shirt? Jesus, he’s beautiful.)

He grabs his bag and starts to walk towards the bathroom. I reach out and grab his hand as he walks by.  
“I’m sorry, Don. You just did what I asked, and I yelled at you for it.”  
“It’s okay, Veronica. I understand why you didn’t trust me. We don’t have the best track record. I’ll get out of your hair.”  
“No…I mean, you don’t have to go if you don’t want.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yeah. I at least owe you a cup of coffee.”

He puts his bag down and turns to fully face me.  
“Veronica, you don’t owe me anything.”  
“Okay, so I don’t owe you a cup of coffee, but you could let me make you one anyways.”  
“I’m not one to turn down coffee.”  
“Okay, I’ll go make that.”

Judging by the look on his face, he notices I’m not moving about the same time I do.

****************************  
****************************

(She’s not moving and she’s still holding my hand…What’s going on?)

“Veronica?”  
I reach out and take her other hand.  
“What’s going on?”  
“I don’t know…I just feel…”  
I step closer to her.  
“Feel what, baby?”  
“Like I need to…”  
I let go of one of her hands and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me. With my head bent, so my mouth is next to her ear, I say:  
“Like you need to what?”

Before I realize what’s happening, she has turned her head, and she’s kissing me. I kiss her back, savouring how soft her lips are and how good she tastes before slowly pulling away. I drop my arm from around her waist and let go of her hand as I step back.

“Veronica, honey, you don’t want to kiss me. You’re just still drunk, or hungover, or something. I’m going to go before we do something you regret.”  
“I am not drunk, and I’m surprisingly not hungover.”  
“Okay, but I still think I should go.”  
“Don?”  
“Yeah, Veronica?”  
“Shut up and kiss me.”

I look at her, studying her face, trying to decide if she means what she’s saying. As I’m trying to figure it out, she steps forward towards me, puts her hands on my face, and pulls my face towards hers.

“I know you’re trying to figure out if I mean what I’m saying, but please, just take me at my word. Kiss me.”

****************************  
****************************

I tell him to kiss me, and I watch his eyes darken as he makes the decision to listen to me. Our faces are inches apart as I’m speaking, but almost before I can breathe again, his lips are on mine. The kiss starts soft and questioning, but then I’m opening my mouth to him, and I realize his hands are on my hips, and he’s moved me, so I’m pinned between his much larger body and the wall. I can feel his growing arousal against me. I moan and run one of my hands down his chest before wrapping my fingers around his hip. When we’re both out of breath, he moves his mouth off of mine.

“Are you sure about this, Veronica?”  
“Yes. I’m sure. Please don’t stop.”  
“It’s just…I’m so much older than you and haven’t really been all that nice to you since becoming Sheriff…”

I growl in frustration.  
“Why are you trying to talk me out of this? I want you. You obviously want me. Why can’t that be enough?”

He leans back into me and kisses me, nipping my lips with his teeth, then pulls back.

“It is enough. I just don’t want you to regret this.”  
“Regret isn’t a thing I do, Deputy. Can you please fuck me now?”

He growls and says:  
“God, Veronica.”

He runs his hands down over my ass to hold me by the thighs. He lifts me up and kisses me again as he walks us down the hall to my room. Once we’re there, he puts me down on my feet next to my bed. As he moves his hands up my body, he pulls my shirt off, stopping kissing me only long enough to pull the shirt over my head. 

Once my shirt is off, his mouth is back on mine. I moan into his mouth as he moves his hands to massage my breasts, running his thumbs over my nipples. When he hits a particularly sensitive spot, I bite his lip to keep from yelping. He moves his mouth off of mine, trailing kisses across my jaw and down my neck. He moves me backwards onto the bed and then moves over me, kissing down my body. When his mouth gets to the waistband of my sleep shorts, he sits back on his heels and looks at me like he's asking if it's okay. I nod, and he pulls my sleep shorts and panties off in one motion. He goes back to kissing my body, getting closer and closer to my core. When he swipes his tongue over my folds for the first time, I cry out as the tip of his tongue brushes against my clit. 

****************************  
****************************

(God, she’s perfect. She’s soft, wet, responsive, and tastes delicious. I could do this all day.)

I move my tongue against her clit, alternating between sucking on the sensitive nub and making shapes with my tongue. She is making the most beautiful breathy sounds, little moans and whimpers. I can feel her thigh muscles start to shake as she says:  
“Please, Don…I need…”

I pull away from her core and say:  
“I know, baby. I’ve got you.”

I slide my hand between her wet folds and insert two fingers inside her, pumping them slowly while bending them to hit her g-spot. My thumb moves in small circles on her clit, adding and removing pressure rhythmically. After a few moments, I can feel her walls shaking and compressing on my fingers. She comes apart while I kiss her. When she comes back down, she says:

“Why are you still wearing pants? Take them off. I want you inside me.”  
“Sorry baby, I didn’t bring any condoms with me.”  
“Top drawer of the end table.”  
“Always prepared?”  
“Well, I’m not a virgin, so it makes sense for me to have them. You gonna talk about it for a while or fuck me?”

I reach over to the end table to grab a condom. As soon as I have it in my hand, Veronica grabs it from me and deftly flips us, so she is straddling me. She kisses me deeply, then moves her mouth down my body, licking and biting her way to my abdomen. She briefly moves off of me to pull my shorts off, I lift my hips to help her. Once the shorts are off, she straddles one of my legs, rubbing her core on my thigh as she takes my cock in her mouth. 

(I’ve fantasized about her mouth on my cock hundreds of times, but none of them compare to the real thing…) She twirls her tongue around the tip, then licks down the shaft before licking back up and taking the head in her mouth completely. As she takes more into her mouth, she moves her hips, giving herself the pressure she needs. After a few moments, I know I’m going to come, so I say:  
“Veronica, I’m an old man. If you want me to fuck you…Baby, you have to stop.”

She makes a humming sound in her throat that is almost my undoing and then lets go of my cock with a popping sound. She rolls the condom down over my length and then lowers herself onto me. Her eyes roll back, and she whimpers as I bottom out.  
“Don…”  
“You set the pace, baby.”

(She feels so good on my cock I could die a happy man right now.)

She starts moving, rolling her hips and leaning back, so I hit her g-spot with every stroke. I reach down and rub circles on her clit as she moves. She starts whimpering and moaning, and I can feel her walls tightening and shaking. She comes apart while crying out my name. Her pussy contracts around me, milking my orgasm out of me. I come harder than I have in a long time.  
“God, Veronica.”

She leans forward, laying on my chest while I’m still inside her.  
“Wow. I was not expecting...that.”  
“What exactly were you expecting?”  
“A subpar, selfish lay.”  
“Wow…you think so highly of me.”  
“Well, Don, you’ve been a bit of a jackass in my experience with you…I don’t expect jackasses to be giving lovers.”

I raise my eyebrow at her and smirk.  
“Lots of experience with jackasses, huh?”  
“No…Only two now, and both of you have been spectacular, so maybe I’m just being unfair to jackasses.”  
“Possibly. Get off.”

She moves off of me, and I take the condom off, tie it, and toss it in the garbage. I walk in the bathroom, clean up, and bring Veronica a damp cloth. While she cleans up, I put my shorts back on and walk out of the bedroom into the living room to grab my bag. As I walk into the bathroom to change, she comes out of the bedroom, wearing her pyjamas again.

****************************  
****************************

(I don’t know what possessed me to bring up Logan. I didn’t say his name, but I know that Don knew who I was talking about. Don shut down immediately afterwards, leaving the room after putting his shorts back on.)

I walk out of my bedroom as he’s headed into the bathroom to change back into his uniform.  
“Do you have work today?”  
“No. I have today and tomorrow off.”  
“Then, why are you leaving?”  
“Why do you want me to stay?”  
“We could just talk…I don’t think we’ve actually had a conversation that wasn’t just sniping at each other since I was 15.”  
“You’re only 19 now, that wasn’t actually that long ago.”  
“Don…Please stay?”  
“I need to go home. I need to get clean clothes at the very least.”  
“You’ll come back?”  
“Do you really want me to? You could just call Echolls if you’re lonely.”  
“Yes, I really want you to. I don’t want to call Logan.”

I take a step closer to him and put my hand on his cheek.  
“I shouldn’t have called you a jackass or brought up Logan at all. I wasn’t thinking. Please come back.”

He leans forward and captures my mouth with his. He pulls me tight against his body as he kisses me with such depth it feels like he’s stealing my soul. When he steps back, I’m dripping wet again and unable to breathe.  
“Okay. I’ll go home and get some stuff and then I’ll come back. When is Keith home?”  
“Wednesday.”  
“You said just a few days. Today is Friday.”  
I shrug and say:  
“That is just a few days.”  
“Why don’t you come and stay with me? I have a bigger bed than you.”  
“If Dad comes home early and I’m not here, he’ll freak out.”  
“If Keith comes home early and I’m in your bed - or god forbid - fucking you, he’ll KILL me.”  
“You make a valid point.”  
“So you’ll come with me?”  
“Yeah. Let me get some stuff together.”

I walk into my bedroom, quickly change out of my pyjamas, and pack a bag. I make sure to bring my laptop and school books in case I have time to work on homework.

By the time I’m back in the living room, Don has gotten changed and is ready to go.  
“You sure you want to come with me? You could just stay here and forget about today.”  
“I’m sure. And I don’t want to forget today. In fact, I’d like to do it again as soon as possible.”  
“I’m sure that can be arranged. Let’s go.”

As we are walking out the door, my cell phone rings.  
“It’s Mac. If I don’t answer, she’ll think something’s wrong and call…well, you.”  
Don laughs and says:  
“Guess you’d better answer it then. I’ll lock the door.”

I answer the phone as I hand him the keys.  
“Hey, Mac.”  
“You were supposed to call me.”  
“Sorry. I’ve been otherwise occupied so far this morning.”  
“Hmmm. How long did it take you to get rid of Lamb last night?”  
“Still haven’t succeeded actually…And now I’m not entirely sure I want to.”  
“Veronica! You didn’t!”  
“Oh, but I did.”  
“Was it…was it good?”  
“Spectacular. I have to go, Mac, I’ll call you later okay?”  
“Okay. Be safe, Ronnie. I don’t trust him.”  
“Neither do I.”

I hang up the phone and look at Don.  
“Let’s go.”

****************************  
****************************

(I don’t think she realizes that I could hear Mac through the phone. It hurts to hear her say she doesn’t trust me. I understand why she doesn’t, but despite how I’ve acted over the years, I do care about her and want her to be able to trust me.)

She hangs up the phone and looks at me while saying:  
“Let’s go.”

I pick up our bags and put my hand on her lower back as we walk towards my car. I unlock it and open her door for her. Once I’ve put the bags in the trunk, I get in the car myself. It’s a short drive to my apartment, but while we’re in the car, her phone rings.  
“Shit. It’s Dad.”  
“I’ll be quiet. Go ahead, answer it.”

She puts her hand on my thigh and answers the phone. (I can hear Keith easily, he’s being loud and Veronica has the phone slightly away from her ear.)

“Hey, Dad. Catch the bad guy?”  
“Not yet…Why did I get a phone call from our neighbours complaining about you?”  
“Not me. Mac and Wallace. Blame them. I wanted a quiet night at home, they showed up wanting a party. Lamb came and broke it up.”  
“Yes, that brings me to my second question. Why did the same neighbour say that Lamb’s car was parked in the lot all night?”  
“He stayed to make sure I was okay.”  
“He did what?”  
“He stayed to make sure I was okay. He didn’t do anything wrong, Daddy. He was concerned.”  
“Is he with you still?”  
“Yes. But Dad, you don’t need to talk to him. You realize I’m an adult, right?”  
“Give him the phone, Veronica.”  
“Yes, sir.”

I park the car as she hands me the phone. I grab the hand she has resting on my thigh, intertwining our fingers as I say:  
“Hi, Keith.”  
“Don. I assume she was drunk when you got there last night?”  
“They all were. I sent Wallace and Mac home with deputies, and I stayed with Veronica. I didn’t want her to be alone if something happened.”  
“She’s been taking care of herself for years, you know.”  
“I know, she informed me. I didn’t think she should be alone.”  
“And what did you do last night?”  
“I just slept, Keith.”  
“You didn’t help yourself to my drunk, barely legal daughter? I know that’s the age you like.”  
“Keith…I would never take advantage of someone who was drunk…especially Veronica.”   
(I can feel tears in my eyes, and Veronica must see them because she takes the phone from me.)

“Dad! I already told you that he did not do anything wrong! Why are you being like this?”  
“Because I don’t trust him!”  
“So what? Do you trust me?”  
“Yes. Of course, I do, Veronica.”  
“Then trust me when I tell you that he did not do anything wrong. He has been nothing but a gentleman since Mac and Wallace left last night.”  
“Answer this honestly, Veronica. And remember that I want the truth, whatever it is.”  
“Okay. What’s the question?”  
“Did you have sex with him?”

Veronica pauses and looks at me before saying:  
“Yes. This morning, when I was completely sober.”  
“Did he coerce you?”  
“No. He didn’t. He tried to talk me out of it, actually.”  
“Give him the phone.”

Veronica hands me the phone again.  
“Keith.”  
“Don, she’s an adult, so I can’t expect her to listen if I tell her not to see you, so I’m going to say this to you…take care of my little girl.”  
“I will.”  
“And, Don?”  
“Yeah?”  
“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you slowly, and they’ll never find your body.”  
“Understood.”  
Keith hangs up, and I hand Veronica her phone back.

****************************  
****************************

He hands me my phone and says:  
“I should take you home. This was a bad idea.”

I take off my seatbelt and lean over to Don. I put my hand on his cheek to make him look at me.   
“Listen to me carefully, Don. I do not want to go home. I want to go inside with you.”  
“Veronica…You don’t trust me. You should be with someone you trust.”  
“I trust you with me, with my body. It’s just everything else I don’t trust.”  
“But, you should be able to trust the person in your bed completely.”  
“I don’t trust anyone completely.”  
“You used to.”  
“Then, my best friend was murdered, everyone I loved turned against me, and I was drugged and raped. Things change, Don. I’m not the same girl I was when I was 14 and 15 with a crush on the cute deputy. Either you’re okay with how I am now, or you aren’t. If you are, let’s go inside so I can fuck you. If you aren’t, I guess you need to take me home.”

He just stares at me for a minute, and I think for a second that maybe I’ve broken him. And then he says:  
“Well, I guess we’d better go inside then.”

We both get out of the car and head into his apartment. Once we’re inside, he says:  
“I need to shower and change. Do you want to join me in the shower, or do you want to snoop? I promise multiple orgasms in the shower.”  
“Ugh…Multiple orgasms or satisfying my curiosity…This is an unfair choice.”

He steps closer to me and puts his lips against my ear as he says:  
“Come join me. You can snoop later while I cook dinner for you.”  
“You’re okay with me snooping?”  
“I have nothing I’m interested in hiding from you. Come shower with me, baby.”

He steps back and starts unbuttoning his shirt. He backs up, removing his clothes as he goes, his blue eyes sparkly and playful. By the time he gets to the bathroom door, he’s completely naked. I watch him for a few seconds, appreciating the view, before reaching behind my back and unzipping my sundress. I let it fall to the floor while I stare at him. As I watch, his eyes turn dark and lustful as he realizes that I am going to join him.

I walk towards him, when I reach him, I run my hands over his abdomen and chest. He inhales sharply and says:  
“You’re staring.”  
I shrug and say:  
“You’re pretty.”

He reaches out, grabs the back of my neck, and pulls me closer to him so he can kiss me. 

After our shower (and the promised multiple orgasms…he did not disappoint) we both get dressed in sweats and t-shirts (well, I wear a t-shirt, he decides to go shirtless, which I am not complaining about). 

“So, Veronica, what do you want to do now?”  
I try and fail to suppress a yawn.  
“It’s up to you.”  
“Well, how about a nap then?”  
“Sounds good to me.”

****************************  
****************************

I grab her hand and walk down the hallway to my room. As we walk, I can feel her examining the apartment, looking for anything that I appear to be hiding. As we get into the bedroom, she gasps.  
“What’s wrong, baby?”  
“Nothing. I just didn’t expect such a grown-up, reasonable room. I was expecting like…black satin sheets or something.”  
“I hate to be the one to tell you this, love, but I am a grown-up.”

I see her eyes narrow in on something, and I follow her line of sight. (It’s a picture of us from the Christmas before Lilly died. I was at their house because Veronica had begged Keith to let me come, so I wasn’t alone. We’re sitting on the couch, her legs over my lap, looking at a book and laughing. I don’t know which one of her parents took it, but Lianne gave it to me before she left town. At that point, Veronica and Keith were no longer speaking to me, so I cherished the memory. It’s framed and sitting next to my bed.)  
“Doesn’t that picture cause issues when you bring girls here?”  
“I don’t bring girls here. You’re the first.”  
“But…I…what?”  
“I either go to their place, or we go to a hotel. I don’t bring women to my house.”  
“Why?”  
“Because it’s my space, and I’ve never felt like sharing it before.”  
“Why me? Why make an exception for me?”

I shrug and look away from her, focusing my eyes on the picture of us.  
“Because I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

She steps around me, so she’s in my line of sight.  
“That sounds like a pretty cheesy line Don.”  
“It does, doesn’t it? But it’s true.”  
“Whatever you say, Deputy.”

She steps over to the end table and picks up the picture.  
“I remember this Christmas. It was the last good one before our lives fell apart, and Mom left. I mean, she was drinking heavily, trying to hide it of course, but you distracted me from that.”  
“We were looking at baby pictures, of your parents, I think.”  
“Yeah, we were. I had such a crush on you then. Being that close to you was nerve-wracking.”

I walk up behind her and kiss her cheek.  
“I know you did. It was adorable.”

“Don?”  
“Yeah, baby?”  
She’s touching the photograph, running her fingers along the image of me.  
“If you loved me…why did you stop being this guy after you became sheriff?”

I wrap my arms around her waist and say:  
“I was trying to make you hate me. I thought your life would be better, be easier if you did.”  
“That’s really fucking stupid. I’m sorry, Don, but you really thought that I needed to lose another person I loved? When I had already lost my best friend, my boyfriend, my mother, and all my other friends? Losing you would make my life easier? Are you kidding me?”  
“I know, baby…I’m so sorry for everything. I made a stupid decision, and then I screwed up even worse, and you actually did hate me.”  
“I didn’t hate you.”  
“Really? Even after I told you to go see the wizard after your rape?”  
“Really. I didn’t hate you for that. It just broke my heart. I still loved you, and I trusted you, so I came to you, and you mocked me. It just made me realize that the man I thought I knew, the man I loved…he wasn’t you.”  
“Oh, Veronica. I’m sorry.”

My face is buried in her neck now, I know she can feel my tears. (I don’t mean to cry, but every time I remember her sitting in my office in her torn white dress crying, it breaks my heart.)

She puts the picture down and turns around in my arms. She grabs my face with both her hands and says:  
“You broke my heart, right after I lost my virginity to a rapist. That’s why I don’t completely trust you. But Don?”

I look at her and don’t say anything.  
“I still believe that the man I loved is in there. I believe that underneath your jackass exterior, you are a good man. I believe you when you say that you love me, and I’d like to give this…us, a chance. If you are willing, that is.”

I stare at her for a minute before saying:  
“Really? Are you sure?”  
She rolls her eyes at me and says:  
“Yes, Don. I’m sure. That’s why I said it.”

I kiss her and then say:  
“Yes, I’d like to give us a chance.”  
“Good. Can we have our nap now?”  
I laugh, which makes her wrinkle her nose at me, and say:  
“Of course we can.”

****************************  
****************************

We climb onto the bed, Don laying on his back and me curled up beside him with my head on his chest and my arm across his waist.

Just as we get comfortable, my phone rings. Don groans and says:  
“Goddamn it.”  
“Sorry, love.”

I sit up and grab my phone, once I see who it is I lie back down and get comfortable before answering it.  
“Logan?”  
“Veronica? Where are you? I know your Dad’s out of town, and Wallace said you were having a problem with Lamb last night…You aren’t home, but your car is.”  
“Really? I’m not home? Are you sure? Give me a second…No, you’re right, I’m not home.”  
“Where are you?”  
“Why is that your business?”  
“I’m worried about you.”  
“Why? Last I checked we were broken up.”  
“We decided we were going to be friends.”  
“You’re right. We did decide that.”  
“So, tell me where you are.”  
“Does Dick always know where you are?”  
“What? No. Why would he?”  
“Exactly, Logan. Exactly.”

Just then, Don loudly whispers:  
“Come on, babe, hang up the phone and come back to bed.”  
I look at him and roll my eyes before mouthing:  
“Thanks so much.”  
He laughs as I hold the phone away from my ear. Logan is getting increasingly agitated on the other end.  
“Veronica! Who was that talking?”  
“It was Don.”  
“As in, Lamb? As in the corrupt Sheriff, who has accused us BOTH of murder?”  
“Yup…That would be him.”  
“Are you…dating him now?”  
“We’re giving it a shot.”  
“Why didn’t you talk to me about this before doing anything?”  
“I don’t need your permission to fuck or date someone Logan.”  
“You’re having sex with him? Since when?”  
“This morning.”  
“What? It took us over a year to start sleeping together.”  
“Do you really want to unpack this right now, Logan?”  
“No. I guess not. I’m having a party tonight. You should come.”  
“Can I bring Don?”  
“I guess.”  
“Okay. Goodbye, Logan.”

I hang up the phone and toss it in the direction of the end table. It misses and hits the floor.

I snuggle back into Don’s chest and say:  
“We’ve been invited to a party.”  
“Do we have to go?”  
“We should…it’ll help make peace with Logan.”  
“When?”  
“Tonight.”  
“So, we have time for our nap first then?”  
“Yes, but we need to stop at my house on the way, I didn’t bring anything to wear to a party.”  
“See? That’s a point in favour of just staying here. No clothes required.”  
“Oh shush. I’ll get all dolled up, we’ll go to the party for a bit, then we’ll come back here.”  
“And I can peel those party clothes off you?”  
“That’s the general idea, yeah.”  
“I accept this.”

We lie there in silence for a few minutes, he is lightly drawing shapes on my shoulder with his hand, and his heartbeat is lulling me to sleep. And then he says:  
“Where is the party?”  
“Logan’s room at the Grand.”  
“So, I just have to ask…It’s probably my jealous ape brain, but I need to know.”  
“Need to know what Don?”  
“How many surfaces in that room have you had sex on?”  
“Both beds, the couch, leaning against walls…I mean, Duncan lived there when I dated him too.”  
“So you’ve had sex with two different guys in that room?”  
“Yes. But you know how many guys I’ve had sex with in my bed?”  
“No.”  
“Just one. That’s all, you babe.”

His arm tightens around me briefly, and he says:  
“Okay. I’m fine.”  
“Good. Go to sleep Don.”

****************************  
****************************

When I wake up it’s a couple of hours later and Veronica is still asleep. I briefly consider getting up to get ready for this party, but I can’t seem to tear myself away from this beautiful girl sleeping on my chest.  
“I can feel you staring at me.”  
“You’re pretty.”

She laughs and shifts slightly so she can nuzzle my neck.  
“What time is it?”  
“Six-ish”  
“We should get up and you should get dressed.”  
“You mean I can’t go to the party like this?”  
“While I wouldn’t have an issue with it, you walking into Logan’s place like this has the potential to increase the already high chances of you getting punched in the face.”  
“If he punches me, I’m arresting him.”

She laughs and turns my head towards her so she can kiss me.  
“I expect nothing less. Get up, shower, get dressed.”  
“Come shower with me.”  
“That runs counter to you getting clean and ready. I’ll pass this time.”  
“You are zero fun.”

She rolls her eyes and kisses me again before saying:  
“You won’t be saying that after the party. Go get ready.”  
“Yes ma’am.”

I get up and head to the bathroom. After I take a quick shower I walk back into the bedroom wearing a towel.  
“What should I wear to this party?”  
“Jeans, t-shirt. Make them both tight so I can ogle you while we’re there.”  
“Yes bossy.”

Once I’m dressed and Veronica has fixed my hair (I thought it looked fine how it was), we leave to go to her apartment so she can get ready.

****************************  
****************************

We get to my apartment and I tell Don to wait in the living room while I shower and get ready (I don’t really expect him to listen, so I’m not surprised when I come out of the bathroom wrapped in my towel and he’s sitting on my bed staring at me).   
“This is not where I left you.”  
“I wanted to watch you get dressed.”  
“Who am I to argue?”

I drop my towel and walk over to my dresser to pull out a bra and panties.   
“Black lace thong? Are you trying to kill me?”  
“Yup. That’s my plan. Kill the dude I’m enjoying fucking. Makes total sense.”

I walk over to the closet and say:  
“Dress or jeans?”  
“Independent thinking, badass Veronica Mars is asking my opinion on what she should wear?”  
“I’m more asking what you’d rather take off of me later.”  
“Dress…definitely a dress.”  
“As you wish.”

I pull a short, tight, red, halter dress out of my closet and pull it on. Behind me, Don whistles.  
“Goddamn baby.”

I pull a pair of black heels out of the closet and slip them on. (They lessen the height difference between me and Don by about 4 inches.)

I walk back into the bathroom to do my hair and make-up. When I come back out Don says:  
“Are you sure we have to go to the party?”  
“Yes, dear. Let’s go.”

I grab my purse and while I’m making sure Mr. Sparky is inside, I notice Don’s handcuffs and badge. I look at him questioningly.  
“Just in case I need to remind someone that I’m the sheriff.”

I hold my hand out to him and say:  
“Let’s go.”

****************************  
****************************

We get to the Grand and Veronica takes my hand as we walk through the lobby, fingers interlocked, rubbing small circles on my hand with her thumb.  
“We don’t have to stay long.”  
“We can stay as long as you’d like, babe. Just don’t leave me alone.”

As we get in the elevator, she pushes up on her toes to gently kiss me.  
“You’re stuck with me.”

I’m about to answer her when I hear a voice say:  
“Aw, dude. Poor you. Stuck with Ronnie.”

Veronica rolls her eyes and says:  
“Hi, Dick.”  
“It’s good of you to come to the party, Ronnie. Logan was worried the crap between the two of you would make it so you wouldn’t come. But it’s kind of shit of you to bring him.”  
“Dick… Three things. First thing: just because I’m wearing a pretty dress doesn’t mean I can’t make you cry. Second thing: Logan said I could bring him. And the third thing: you and I are not having this conversation. Have fun tonight.”

The elevator doors open and Veronica pulls me into the hallway. From behind us, I hear:  
“You know he fucked Madison too, right? You know, that thing that made you break up with Logan for good?”  
“Logan fucking Madison hurt you too, Dick. Don’t act like I’m the only one that was messed up by that.”  
“No shit, Ronnie. But why can you get over it when it comes to him but not when it comes to Logan?”

Veronica squeezes my hand before saying:  
“Don never lied to me about it. Do you know how I found out about Logan and Madison? Madison told me what type of lingerie to buy to get Logan hot and bothered. I had asked him point-blank the day before if he had slept with anyone and he lied to me.”

I can feel Veronica’s hand shaking ever so slightly, so I say:  
“Dick. Go to the party. This conversation is over.”

Dick steps closer to Veronica and puts his hand on her arm.  
“Ronnie, you and Logan belong together. Don’t hold this against him forever.”

Before Veronica or I can say anything, Dick starts walking down the hall. 

I pull Veronica in my arms and hold her for a second before saying:  
“You sure you want to go to this party? I mean, only Dick has seen us. We could still go home.”

Just then the elevator doors open and Mac walks out. Veronica whispers:  
“There’s no escape now.”  
Veronica steps out of my arms and says:  
“Hey, Mac.”  
“I’m glad you’re here Veronica…With the sheriff. Okay. You cannot leave me alone in this place. Please?”

I hold out my other hand and she takes it as I say:  
“Stick with us, kid.”  
“Why thank you, sheriff.”  
“Call me Don.”  
“Okay.”

****************************  
****************************

I look over at Don and Mac and say:  
“You know Wallace is probably going to be here too. It’s not going to be pretty when he sees us together.”  
“I already talked to him, he yelled at me on the phone for 30 minutes, so you’re in for it Veronica.”  
“Wonderful, thanks, Mac.”

Don looks between the two of us and says:  
“Why does he hate me so much?”  
“You used the ‘go see the wizard’ line on him too dear.”  
“Oh…that was years ago.”  
“Yeah, still not over it though.”

Mac looks at me and says:  
“Have you considered what’s going to happen when Weevil finds out?”  
“He’ll either be giddy because I have pull with the sheriff, or he’ll flip out. There’s no in-between.”

Mac looks at Don and says:  
“Aren’t you going to ask why Weevil hates you so much?”  
“Nope. I understand that one. Navarro and I have quite a colourful history. Shall we, ladies?”  
“We shall.”

We walk down the hall and enter Logan’s room. As we walk in Logan spots us and walks over. Logan says:  
“Veronica, Mac. I’m glad you’re here.”

As Logan walks away I spot openings on the couch and Mac and I make a run for them. Don laughs at us and says:  
“I’ll go get you ladies drinks.”

As he walks away Mac yells after him:  
“Alcohol please!”   
She cranes her head to watch him walk through the crowd.  
“I will admit he is fucking gorgeous.”  
“Yes, he is.”

I look at her and say:  
“Wait, did you honestly just ask the sheriff to bring you, an underage teenager, alcohol?”  
“Yeah…I figure if he can fuck my best friend he can at least bring me booze.”  
“Fair.”

While we’re waiting for Don to come back with our drinks, Max walks in.  
“Veronica! Hey.”  
“Hey, Max. Oh, Max, Mac. Mac, Max.”  
“Max as in ‘sells study guides’ Max?  
“That’s me.”  
“Here, Max. Sit here.”

Mac looks at me.  
“Trust me, Mackie.”

I get up off the couch as Don walks up.  
“Yay drinks!”

Don hands Mac her drink and she takes a sip.  
“Yay alcohol!”

I laugh at her and say:  
“Have fun, Mac.”

I grab Don’s hand and we walk away.  
“I thought we were under strict orders not to leave her alone.”  
“She’s not alone. She’s with Max. Trust me, within minutes she’s going to forget we were even here. They’re both computer genius super-geeks, so they have tons in common. And he’s pretty to look at.”  
“Really?”  
“Well, he’s not my type, but objectively he’s attractive, yes.”  
“Not your type? Didn’t you date Leo? They are of a similar type.”  
“Yeah…and Leo’s hot, don’t get me wrong. He’s just not my usual type.”  
“And what’s your usual type?”  
“Really?”  
“Really. What’s your usual type?”  
“I like tall, built, brunette, egomaniacal types. It’s even better if they’re jackasses.”

He leans down to kiss me.  
“Drink your drink so we can go home.”  
As he’s leaning down to kiss me again, a voice from behind me says:  
“Veronica. Can I talk to you? Privately?”  
I sigh and say:  
“Sure Wallace. Please join me on the balcony.”  
I quickly kiss Don and say:  
“Don’t wander off.”

****************************  
****************************

Veronica walks away with Wallace and I stay where I am and try not to draw attention to myself. I fail, because within seconds of Veronica leaving, Logan is in my face.  
“Logan.”  
“Sheriff. Think we can go chat in private for a minute?”  
“Probably not the best idea. Why don’t you just focus on your party?”  
“I need to talk to you about Veronica.”  
“I figured that’s what you wanted to talk about, but I still don’t think it’s a good idea. Leave worrying about Veronica to me.”

As Logan is trying to figure out how to respond to that, Parker walks up behind him.  
“Sheriff. Where’s Veronica?”  
“On the balcony being lectured by Wallace.”  
“Oh. Why is he lecturing her?”  
“Honestly? Because she’s with me.”  
“Ah. Yeah. This one has a problem with it too.”  
“I know. He was just voicing his displeasure to me. You don’t have a problem with it?”  
“No way. Every time I’ve seen the two of you together I could see the chemistry. It comes off of the two of you like waves of electricity. Even the morning after my rape when I was mad at her I could see it. Honestly? I think that’s why Logan is upset. He and Veronica never really had that same level of chemistry.”  
“No. I’m upset about it because he’s 15 years older than she is and is a total and complete asshole. He did nothing about her rape when she went to him, he accused me and her of murder, he took her dad’s job…”  
“Logan. All of these things are things Veronica and I have talked about and will continue to work through together. We don’t need you in the middle of our relationship, and Veronica does not need your protection. Not from me at least.”  
“Why is she okay with the fact that you’ve slept with Madison? I don’t understand.”  
“I didn’t lie to her. I never tried to hide my ill-advised relationship with Madison from her. You lied. That’s her issue, Logan.”

Just then Veronica walks up and tucks herself into my side.  
“Let’s go home.”  
“Okay, babe.”

Logan says:  
“Veronica, I need to talk to you before you go.”  
“No Logan. I’ve had enough lectures for tonight. Okay?”

We walk out of the hotel room and towards the elevator. Before we get there I hear:  
“Wait.”  
I turn around and say:  
“Yes, Logan?”  
He punches me in the face. (I should have been expecting it, but I let my guard down.)  
“Logan! What is your problem? You realize he’s still the sheriff right? He can arrest you for that!”  
“Won’t be the first time he’s arrested me. Dump him, Ronnie.”  
“No. And if you are going to act like this, you can forget us trying to be friends. Go back to your party.”

Veronica puts her hand on my face and uses her thumb to wipe away the blood at the corner of my mouth.  
“I’m sorry Don. He’s an idiot. We shouldn’t have come.”  
“It’s fine love. He’s worried about you, that’s all.”  
“He’s a jealous ass. You’re not going to arrest him though, right?”  
“Not this time. But if he punches me again he’s spending the night in a cell.”  
“Let’s go home.”

We walk to the elevator and get in when it opens. Dick gets in after us.  
“Ronnie…”  
“Dick.”  
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to interfere earlier.”  
“It’s fine, Dick.”  
“Sheriff…thank you for not arresting Logan for being a moron.”  
“Let him know that he got one free hit. He punches me again, I’m arresting him.”  
“Noted.”

****************************  
****************************

When we get back to Don’s apartment, I walk in first and put down my bag on the counter as he locks the door. He comes up behind me and moves my hair to one side so he can undo the halter on my dress.

He kisses the back of my neck and I moan and melt backwards into him.   
“My idiot friends and ex haven’t made you rethink this?”  
“Hell no.”

He keeps kissing my neck as he pulls my dress down my body. I move to take off my shoes and he says:  
“No. Leave them on.”

He steps back for a second, and when he presses back into me he’s naked.   
“I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed someone take their clothes off that quickly.”  
He grabs my hair and pulls my head back so he can kiss me.   
“I really, really want to be fucking you right now.”  
“Then do it.”  
He manoeuvres me over to the couch and bends me over the back of it. He kisses down my back until he’s kneeling behind me. He pulls my panties off and I step out of them. He runs his hand between my thighs, brushing over my core.  
“God, Veronica. You’re so wet already.”  
“Please, Don.”   
He removes his hands from me and I can hear him putting a condom on. He puts one of his hands on my spine and the other on my hip, fingers curled around the bone.  
“You okay baby?”  
“Yes. Please…I want you inside me.”

He slams into me, pushing me further over the back of the couch. It’s fast and dirty, and we’re both orgasming in minutes. I come screaming his name, and he groans and says:  
“I love you.”

We both stand up and I turn around to kiss him.  
“I need a shower now.”  
“Yeah. Me too.”

I finish getting undressed and we walk into the bathroom. After our shower, we dry off and walk into the bedroom.  
“How attached are you to pyjamas?”  
“Pretty attached. You never know who is going to show up in the middle of the night.”  
“That’s a valid point I suppose.”

We get dressed, and as we walk out to the living room I say:  
“I never got dinner…did you get dinner?”

Don laughs at me and says:  
“I can make grilled cheese and I have ice cream.”  
“Sounds good to me.”

He walks into the kitchen to start making dinner, and I start cleaning up our discarded clothes.  
“You could snoop now if you want.”  
“Too tired. I’ll snoop in the morning.”

I sit down on the couch to flip through channels to find something to watch while we eat our dinner and someone bangs on the door. Don looks out the window and says:  
“Shit. Veronica, go into the bedroom and close the door. Do not come out until I tell you it’s okay.”  
“Who is it?”  
“Liam.”

I get up and go into the bedroom. I close the door most of the way and grab Don’s gun before sitting on the bed. (You never know when Liam’s around, and Mr. Sparky is in the kitchen in my purse.)

****************************  
****************************

I wait until Veronica is in the bedroom before opening the door.   
“Liam.”  
“Sheriff. You gonna let me in?”  
“No. We are no longer doing business. I told you that a month ago. There’s no reason for you to be here.”  
“Yeah, see…That doesn’t work for me. I need the sheriff in my pocket. If you refuse to play ball I need a sheriff who will.”

Liam pulls a gun out and points it at me. (My only thought is of Veronica. If Liam knew she was here he’d threaten her too.)

“What Liam? You’re going to shoot me if I don’t agree to be paid off?”  
“Yes, Sheriff. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”  
“Well, I’m not playing along. I’m done. I am a completely clean sheriff from now on.”  
“That’s unfortunate Don.”

As he pulls the hammer back to shoot me, the bedroom door bursts open and Veronica steps out. Liam turns his gun towards the hallway and says:  
“Veronica Mars.”

There is a gunshot and I don’t know who fired until Liam collapses on the floor with a hole in his chest. I take his gun away and walk over to Veronica. I take my gun out of her hands and wipe off her prints. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead. She’s shaking.  
“It’s okay baby. Everything’s okay now.”  
She whimpers and moves closer to me.  
“I have to call this in baby. Go into the bedroom while I call, okay?”  
“I killed him…”  
“No. You didn’t. I did. That’s what you say. He forced his way in and threatened us. I shot him.”  
“I can’t lie to the police, Don.”  
“Bullshit. You lie to me all the time. I’m trying to protect you. Please just cooperate.”  
“Okay.”

She walks into the bedroom and I call the sheriff’s department.   
“Balboa County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Sacks speaking.”  
“Sacks, it’s Lamb. I have a dead body in my apartment. Shooting death.”  
“Who?”  
“Liam Fitzpatrick.”  
“Who shot him, boss?”  
“I did. With my service weapon.”  
“We’ll be right there.”

I hang up with Sacks and call Keith.  
“Don? What’s wrong?”  
“Liam Fitzpatrick came into my apartment and threatened to shoot me. Veronica shot and killed him. The story everyone else will know is that I killed him, but she’s having a rough time and I thought you should know the truth.”  
“Thank you, Don. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”  
“Did you catch who you needed to catch?”  
“Not yet. But if Veronica needs me…”  
“Keith, stay and catch him. Veronica and I will stay at your house. I won’t let her be alone. I’ll take care of her.”  
“Okay. Have her call me once you are back at our apartment.”  
“Okay. Thanks, Keith.”  
We hang up and I walk into the bedroom. Veronica is sitting on the bed, completely composed.  
“It’s kind of scary how fast that badass mask comes up baby.”  
“You told Liam that you were going to be an honest sheriff from now on. Starting that by lying about who killed him doesn’t make sense.”  
“We are not telling them that you killed him. That’s final. My guys will be here soon and then you and I are going to your apartment.”  
“No.”  
“What do you mean, no?”  
“No. We are not going back to my apartment. We are staying here.”  
“Veronica…”  
“We can argue about it later. Sacks is here.”  
She gestures to the bedroom door.

“Veronica?”  
“Hey, Sacks. Don’t listen to Don. I shot Liam.”  
“What?”

“Veronica! Damnit.”  
She puts her hand on my cheek.  
“It’s alright love. Everything will be fine.”

Sacks looks at me and says:  
“Sir? What happened?”  
“Liam came to the door. He threatened to shoot me. Veronica was closer to my service weapon. She picked it up and fired one shot. She hit Liam in the chest. I disarmed Liam’s body and disarmed Veronica. You won’t find her prints on my weapon, I wiped them off.”  
“What do you want me to do Sir?”  
“I want you to do whatever you need to in order to protect Veronica.”  
“I always try to protect Veronica.”  
“Then I leave the choice to you. Tell the truth or say that I shot him.”

Sacks looks at Veronica.  
“Ronnie? What do you want me to do?”  
“Tell the truth Sacks. Everything will be okay.”  
Sacks shakes his head.  
“No. As far as the official police report goes, Sheriff Lamb shot and killed Liam Fitzpatrick.”  
“Goddamn, it guys. I don’t need you to protect me.”

I kneel down in front of Veronica and put my hand on her knee.  
“Sweetie, I talked to your dad already. He agrees that it makes the most sense to say I did it. Please let us protect you.”  
“Ugh. I have to find some men who aren’t so damn over-protective. Fine. Do what you’re going to do.”

Sacks looks at us and says:  
“We’ll have his body out of here in a few minutes. You’ll have some cleaning to do boss, but then it’ll be like it never happened.”  
“Okay. Thanks, Sacks. Just let me know when you guys leave.”  
“Yes Sir. Goodnight Veronica.”

****************************  
****************************

Once Sacks leaves the room, Don says:  
“Veronica, let’s lay down.”  
“Fine, but only until they’re done. Then I’ll help you clean up.”  
“Okay baby.”

We lay down, curled together until Sacks opens the door again and says:  
“We’re leaving Sir.”  
“Thank you, Sacks.”

Sacks leaves and Don looks at me, runs his fingers down the side of my face, and says:  
“I’m going to go clean up. It’ll only take me a few minutes. You should call your Dad.”  
“Okay. My phone is in my purse.”  
“I’ll get it for you.”

He leaves the room and comes back with my phone. He hands it to me and then leaves the room again. I call Dad.  
“Veronica? Are you okay?”  
“Yes, Daddy.”  
“Did you tell Sacks the truth?”  
“Yes, but he decided that Don’s version would be the official version.”  
“Good. That’s best. Are you at home?”  
“No. We’re at Don’s apartment.”  
“He said you’d be going home.”  
“I refused to go, don’t blame him, Dad.”  
“As long as you are safe and okay, I’m okay with Don at the moment.”  
“I love you, Daddy.”  
“I love you, baby girl.”

We hang up as Don walks into the room.  
“Is everything cleaned up?”  
“Yeah. Do you still want dinner?”  
“No. Can you just hold me?”  
“Always.”

He turns off the lights and walks over to me. I get up off the bed and we pull back the blankets. Don lays down and I lay down next to him. Curling into him until there is no space between us. He pulls the blankets over us and says:  
“Go to sleep beautiful. I’m right here.”

****************************  
****************************

A couple of hours after we finally fall asleep, I wake up to the sound of knocking on the front door. I glance at Veronica, she’s still sound asleep, so I carefully get out of bed and go to the door. I look out the window and mutter:  
“Jesus Christ. Just what I need.”  
I open the door and say:  
“Navarro, come in. But be quiet. Veronica’s asleep.”  
“Well, that confirms one of the strange things I heard tonight.”  
“If you’re planning on punching me, can it wait until tomorrow? It’s been a long day.”  
“Who punched you?”  
“Echolls.”  
“Ah. That boy just doesn’t know how to let go. I ain’t going to punch you. As long as V’s happy, I’m happy. But if you hurt her? I’ll kill you.”  
“You’ll have to get in line. Pretty sure Keith has dibs.”  
“Nah, we’ll work together. He’s pretty fond of me these days.”  
“You said you heard more than one strange thing?”  
“Oh, yeah, rumour has it that Liam Fitzpatrick is dead. Apparently he died here. What happened?”

From behind me, Veronica says:  
“I shot him.”  
“Honey, you have to stop telling people the truth.”  
“It’s Eli. I trust him.”  
“I don’t understand why. He’s a criminal.”  
“I trust all kinds of people I shouldn’t.”  
She pats me on the cheek and smirks. Navarro laughs from his spot over by the door.

“Yeah, you two are hilarious. Navarro, why do you care that Liam is dead?”  
“Just trying to figure out who is in charge of the methed-upped lunatics now.”  
“Looking to take over their business?”  
“No. Looking for me and mine to stay alive. Some of those crazy Irish bastards are particularly murderous.”

Veronica says:  
“Like Liam?”  
“Worse. V, promise me you’ll stay away from River Styx from now on.”

I look at Veronica.  
“What is he talking about Veronica?”  
She shakes her head and says:  
“I have no idea.”  
“I don’t believe you. We’ll talk about this later.”

Navarro clears his throat and says:  
“Wow. I think I need to get out of here before you two jump each other in front of me. Did you always have this much sexual tension? How did I miss it?”

Veronica glares at him.  
“Oh come on V. It’s clear you’re fucking him.”  
“Yeah, but you don’t need to point it out.”  
“Seriously though…You’re okay, right V?”  
“Yeah, Eli. I’m good.”  
“Well, if that changes, let me know. I’d enjoy killing him.”  
“Well, I’ll keep that in mind.”

I look between the two of them and say:  
“It’s nice that everyone can be so calm while discussing killing me.”

Veronica puts her hand on my chest and says:  
“Shush baby, the adults are talking.”

Navarro laughs and walks out the door. I lock it behind him and turn to face Veronica.  
“Oooh…the investigative stare. You know that doesn’t work on me.”

****************************  
****************************

He walks slowly towards me, resembling a lion stalking its prey, staring at me the whole time.  
“Are you trying to intimidate me or turn me on? Because I can’t really tell.”

He gets to me and quickly lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. Before I can react he slams me into the wall.  
“So turn me on then? Got it.”  
He growls at me and says:  
“Why did Navarro make you promise to stay away from River Styx? You haven’t been there recently, have you?”  
“I’ve been there a few times. None too recently though. Eli just worries.”

He leans in and roughly kisses me, biting my lip. He doesn’t pull away until we’re both breathing heavily.   
“I’m still confused. Are you upset with me or do you want to fuck me?”  
“Can’t it be both?”

He leans in again and I think he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t. He gets close to my ear and whispers:  
“How do you feel about handcuffs baby?”  
“I’ve never been fond of them in the past, but every time you’ve used them on me before, you were arresting me. Will you be gentle?”  
“With the cuffs? Yes. With everything else? Hell no. It’s going to be rough and dirty. And don’t even think about pretending that doesn’t turn you on, because I felt how wet you got as soon as I slammed you into the wall.”  
“I trust you.”  
I lean towards him and bite his jaw.  
“So that’s a yes to the rough sex?”  
“That’s a yes please.”  
He growls again and carries me into the bedroom.

He puts me down on the floor and says:  
“Take your clothes off.”

I quickly cooperate, taking my tank top and sleep shorts off.   
“So, sheriff…what do you have in mind for me?”

He attaches a handcuff to my wrist and leads me to the bed.  
“Lay down. Put your arms above your head.”  
“You’re bossy.”  
“This is not news to you. Do what I told you to Mars.”

I lay down on the bed and put my hands above my head. Don leans over me, handcuffs my hands together through the headboard, and whispers huskily:  
“Good girl.”

****************************  
****************************

Afterwards, I unlock the handcuffs and massage her wrists.  
“How are you doing baby?”  
“So good, but so tired.”

I lay down and pull her into me. I curl around her and pull the blanket over us.  
“Go to sleep sweetheart.”  
In the morning, I wake up and she’s not in bed. I get up and pull my pyjama pants on then walk out of the bedroom.  
“Veronica?”  
“In the living room.”

I walk into the living room and she’s sitting on the couch using her laptop.  
“What are you doing baby?”  
“Working.”  
“On what?”  
“Oh, just a little serial rapist case. You may have heard something about it.”  
“I want you to stay away from that. It’s not safe.”  
“My life isn’t safe Don. I’ve been taking care of myself for a really long time.”  
“Veronica…This is my job. Let me do it.”

She looks at me and takes my hand.  
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve done a pretty shit job so far.”  
“Thanks, dear.”  
“The Pi Sigs are having a party tonight. Every rape has happened the night of one of their parties.”  
“So we go?”  
“Everyone knows you’re the sheriff. I can’t take you.”  
“You’re not going alone.”  
“I’ll take Mac, Wallace, and Piz.”  
“Not good enough.”  
“Fine. Be on campus. I’ll have you on speed dial. If something happens I’ll call and you can come riding in like a knight on a white horse.”

I move her laptop off of her lap and pull her into my lap.  
“I don’t want you getting hurt.”  
“Hence the riding in to save the day.”  
“I want to prevent you from being hurt, not just be the first one there after the fact.”  
“I know. But I have to solve this…for Parker.”  
“You shouldn’t feel guilty about what happened to Parker.”  
“And yet? I do.”  
“Oh, Veronica.”  
“I have to solve the case. I promised Parker. So I’m going to the party. Without you.”  
“I can’t change your mind?”  
“Nope.”  
“Fine. But you call me if anything happens. Anything at all.”  
“Agreed.”

****************************  
****************************

I curl into him, enjoying just sitting with him.  
“I have to go to campus in a bit…Convince people to come to the party with me.”  
“But not yet?”  
“No-one will be awake yet. Can we just stay like this for a while?”  
“Yeah, we can.”

A couple of hours later it’s time to go to campus. I go and get dressed then walk towards the front door.  
“I’ll see you later okay?”  
“Veronica, stop.”  
“What? I have to go.”

He wraps his arms around my waist and turns me around.  
“Be careful and you call me if anything happens.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
“You are incorrigible.”  
“And you love me for it.”

I lean in and kiss him.  
“I’ll see you later.”

Many hours later, I’m hiding from Mercer and Moe in Moe’s closet. I pull out Moe’s phone and call Don.  
“Veronica? Is that you? Where are you?”

I whisper:  
“It’s Mercer and Moe…help me.”

Mercer hears me and opens the closet door. He pulls me out and hits me. I blow my rape whistle, and he hits me again. I hear them arguing about what to do with me, then Mercer leaves and I hear yelling in the hallway.

The next thing I know, Don is picking me up and whispering in my ear:  
“It’s okay Veronica. I have you. Everything’s okay now baby, I promise.”  
“Did you get them? Mercer and Moe?”  
“Not yet. But we will.”  
“I called you from Moe’s phone. You should be able to track him if he has it with him.”  
He kisses me on the head.  
“Good girl.”

He puts me in the passenger seat of his car and buckles me in. I must fall asleep because the next thing I know, we’re back in Don’s apartment and I’m lying in bed.   
“What happened?”  
“We went to the hospital. Do you remember?”  
“No. GHB does that. Makes you lose whole nights…That’s why it’s used as a date rape drug, so when the victim goes to the cops the next day there’s nothing they can do.”  
“Wow. You are extra snarky when you are drugged and half-conscious.”  
“I don’t remember, Don…did he?”  
“No, baby. He didn’t. You fought him off and Parker was coming to your rescue when I got there.”  
“Did you get them?”  
“Sacks picked them up a couple of hours ago.”  
“Good…”  
“Baby, I have to go into the office for a little bit, but your Dad is in the living room.”  
“You called him?”  
“As soon as I got you in the car.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Help me to the living room? I’m dizzy.”

He picks me up out of the bed and carries me into the living room. Dad’s sitting on the couch and he puts a pillow in his lap and then Don puts me down so my head is on the pillow. He drapes a blanket over me and says:  
“I don’t want to leave.”  
“Don. You have to go question them. Veronica and I aren’t going anywhere. I promise she’ll be here when you get home. Just remember that you are the sheriff right now, not my daughter’s boyfriend. You need to do your job and not just kill them.”  
“Yeah, Keith, I know.”  
Don bends down and kisses my forehead.  
“I love you.”  
“I love you too.”

There’s a knock on the door and Don goes to answer it.  
“Echolls. What a surprise.”  
“Arrest me for punching you yesterday.”  
“I promised Veronica I wouldn’t.”  
“But if I’m in a cell I can do what you can’t! Arrest me.”

Don looks at Dad and I then turns to Logan and says:  
“Let’s talk outside.”

They both walk out, closing the door behind them.  
“Daddy...he’s going to put Logan in that cell so he can beat up Mercer isn’t he?”  
“Yup. They both love you, Veronica. And they’re both impulsive and overprotective. There’s no stopping this, so just don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.”  
“That’s a very laissez-faire attitude for you Dad.”  
“It’s been a long few days. I’m learning to just roll with it.”

****************************  
****************************

I walk outside with Echolls, pondering his plan.  
“Veronica will not be happy about this once she sobers up.”  
“I know. But don’t you want to beat him bloody?”  
“Yeah, but I’m the sheriff. It’s frowned upon for me to do that.”  
“But not for me. I’ll be just another prisoner. Arrest me for hitting you. Put me in the cell and walk away. I promise to stop before I kill them.”  
“Fine. In order for this to be believable, you have to hit me again. Multiple people heard me say that I wasn’t going to arrest you unless you punched me again.”  
“Gladly.”

Logan punches me and I lick the blood off my lip while cuffing him. As I’m putting him in the car, Navarro shows up.  
“Wallace told me what happened. Where is she?”  
“Inside with Keith. Go on in. Echolls and I are going down to the station.”  
“You’re arresting Logan? Now?”

I look at him and wait for him to figure it out. (It doesn’t take long, Veronica doesn’t spend time with stupid people.)  
“Ah. Hit him for me too Logan.”  
“Will do. Shall we sheriff?”  
“Yeah.”

Navarro walks into my apartment, and I get in the car. When we get to the station I walk Echolls back to the cells and put him in with Mercer and Moe. The look of fear on Mercer’s face when he sees Echolls is worth getting punched in the face again. I walk back out to the bullpen and tell Sacks that Echolls is being booked for assaulting an officer.  
“He hit you, sir?”  
“Yeah. And I told him if he did it again I’d arrest him. He did it again. Book him and then let him go in the morning.”  
“That’s it?”  
“Yeah. Just teaching him a lesson.”  
“Okay, Sheriff.”

As I walk into my office I say:  
“Have either of them said anything?”  
“Just that Veronica is a psycho.”  
“Well, they aren’t wrong there. Let me know if they decide to start talking.”

****************************  
****************************

Right after Don leaves, Eli walks in.  
“Hey, Sheriff.”  
“Hi, Eli.”

He walks over to me and puts his hand on my arm.  
“How are you feeling V?”  
“Out of it…tired.”  
“Do you want to go to bed?”  
“Yeah. Help me into the bedroom? I don’t think I can walk straight.”

Eli bends down and picks me up.   
“Bedroom at the end of the hall?”  
“Yes.”  
He carries me down the hall and tucks me into bed.  
“Get some sleep, V.”  
“Okay. Go home, Eli. Tell Dad to too. I don’t need a babysitter. I’m okay.”  
“Yeah, no way V.”  
He kisses me on the forehead and leaves the room, pulling the door partially closed.  
Just before I drift off I hear Dad and Eli speaking quietly in the living room.

The next morning I wake up, still alone in bed. I walk out into the living room and find Dad, Eli, and Don drinking coffee and talking. I walk over to Dad and kiss his head, then I walk over to Don and curl up in his lap.  
“Well, this is a cozy scene. When did you get home?”  
“A couple of hours ago. We didn’t want to wake you up.”  
“Did they confess?”  
“Yeah. Shortly before I left this morning.”  
“Good.”

I look at Eli and Dad and say:  
“You know you guys didn’t have to stay. I was perfectly fine on my own.”  
“Yeah, you said that last night V. And I told you then you were being crazy and there was no way we were leaving you alone.”  
“You over-protective marshmallows.”  
“Only when it comes to you, V. I’m going to head home now that you’re awake. Try not to get into any trouble today.”

Eli stands up, leans over me to kiss my cheek, and then walks out the door. Don whispers in my ear:  
“He loves you, you know.”  
“I know.”

I look at Dad.  
“What about you Daddy Dearest? Shouldn’t you go get some sleep? I’m fine. I promise.”  
“Yeah, I’m going to go home. You call me if you need anything okay?”  
“Okay, Daddy.”

Dad leaned over me, kissed my forehead and then patted Don’s shoulder before leaving the apartment.

****************************  
****************************

As Keith leaves the apartment I wrap my arms a little tighter around Veronica.  
“I was so scared last night when I couldn’t find you.”  
“But you did find me. Mercer didn’t rape me. I’m safe in your arms. Everything’s okay.”  
“I let Logan beat Mercer and Moe pretty badly. I told my guys to ignore any sounds that came from the cell.”  
“It’s okay.”  
“It’s not. I let my emotions get the best of me. I shouldn’t have agreed with Logan’s plan.”  
“It’s done, Don. All we can do now is move forward.”

We sit quietly for a minute and then she says:  
“Can we go to bed? You need sleep and I still feel off.”  
“Sleep would be good. You’re not going to leave while I’m asleep?”  
“I’m not going anywhere.”

I pick her up and carry her into the bedroom. As I place her on the bed she says:  
“You know I can walk right? You keep carrying me everywhere.”  
“I like having you in my arms.”  
“So much for the big, tough jackass, huh?”  
“Yeah…Apparently I have a soft spot for you.”

I lay down next to her and pull her into my arms.  
“I have to go home at some point you know. Dad might be okay with me being here for now, but soon he’s going to expect me home.”  
“I know. I’m just trying not to think about it.”  
“We can’t just avoid it.”  
“For right now? Yes, we can. At least until I have a snowball’s chance in hell of convincing you to move in with me.”  
“We started dating two days ago. We are not moving in together yet.”  
“Ah…Yet. I like that word. It implies that at some point you will be willing to live with me.”  
“Go to sleep Don.”

When I wake up a few hours later, Veronica is gone. I walk out to the living room and see a note on the counter:  
‘I had to go home. Dean O’Dell died last night. You should probably go be the sheriff.’

****************************  
****************************

Six weeks after the Pi Sig party I’m sitting at my desk at the office when Don walks in.  
“Here as the boyfriend or the sheriff?”  
“The sheriff, unfortunately. Although I wouldn’t say no to a kiss before I go talk to your dad.”  
“Eh…Let’s wait until after you talk to Dad. You might not deserve a kiss.”

I wink at him and yell at Dad:  
“Deputy Lamb’s here to see you!”

Don rolls his eyes at me.  
“Really? Still?”  
“Yup.”

I stand up, grab my bag and walk around the desk. When I get next to Don I stand on my toes to kiss him.  
“I have class. I’ll see you later?”  
“Yeah. Come by the station after class.”

****************************  
****************************

By the middle of February, Veronica is practically living with me. Keith isn’t a fan, but as long as she goes home a couple of days a week he deals with it. There’s another murder connected with the university, and the wife hires Keith to investigate, not trusting me to do my job. I know the son did it, so I arrest him. I’m sitting in my office when Veronica shows up at the station wanting to see the kid.  
“Veronica, don’t get involved.”  
“Josh didn’t kill his dad, Don. I know it.”

She walks into the cell area and has a conversation with the kid before leaving the station.

When I get home that night she’s in the kitchen, baking cookies.  
“Mmm…cookies.”  
She smacks my hand as I reach for a cookie.  
“Not for you. Hands off.”  
“But…Cookies.”  
“They are for Wallace.”  
“You love him more than you love me.”  
“Yup.”  
She laughs and leans over to kiss me.  
“You get sex, he gets cookies. This is the arrangement.”

She finishes the cookies and we go to bed. When I wake up in the morning she is gone, and so are the cookies. I’m dressed and drinking my coffee when I get a call from the station. Apparently the kid has escaped, and the last person to see him was Veronica…this morning. I get the whole story from Sacks, then head to the university. 

As I walk a cuffed Veronica out of her class I say:  
“So clearly the cookies were not for Wallace.”  
“Some of them were. Although, he prefers snickerdoodles.”   
“Veronica…”  
“Josh asked for peanut butter cookies. I didn’t see the harm. I knew if I told you they were for him you wouldn’t have let me give them to him.”  
“You’re right, I wouldn’t have. Because Josh is allergic to peanuts. He used his allergy to escape.”  
“Aiding and abetting…I understand now. You’re really going to throw your girlfriend in a cell?”  
“I thought I’d walk you nicely into the cell, but yeah.”

She turns and looks at me.  
“I didn’t know about his allergy, Don. I really thought I was just being nice.”  
“Well, maybe the next time you’re being nice you could just tell me the truth? Sometimes I know things you don’t.”

She smirks and says:  
“Rarely.”

As I walk her into the cell and uncuff her I say:  
“Do you know where he would have gone?”  
“No. I didn’t know he was going to escape. If you let me out though, I bet I can find him.”  
“Nope. I’m holding you as long as I can. You need to learn not to lie to me.”  
“I’m sorry. I will not lie to Don the boyfriend anymore.”  
“But Don the sheriff will continue to be lied to constantly?”  
“I make no promises.”

I kiss her and say:  
“I love you.”  
“I love you too. I can’t believe you’re leaving me in here.”  
“I’ll call Keith for you.”  
“Thanks.”

I walk out of the cell, lock it and walk into the bullpen.  
“Guys. Don’t let Veronica’s sweet face fool you. She will try to talk her way out of the cell. Ignore her.”

****************************  
****************************

The next morning, Don decided that he was going to let me go.   
“I will find Josh. Stay out of it Veronica.”  
“Okay.”  
(To be fair, I did intend on staying out of it. It’s not my fault that Josh found me before Don found him.)

Two days later, Josh was gone. He had fled across the border with a fake ID. I was sitting in Don’s living room when he came home.   
“Veronica. Did you make a fake ID for Josh?”  
“Yes.”  
“You helped a murderer flee the country?”  
“No. I helped an accused murderer flee the country. He didn’t kill his dad.”  
“How do you figure that?”  
“It was suicide. He left a video for Josh. I can show it to you if you’d like.”  
“Why didn’t Josh stay then? Wait, nevermind…it’s about the insurance money.”  
“His mom and brother need that money.”  
“So you want me to pretend you never told me this?”  
“I said I wouldn’t lie to you anymore. This is me not lying to you.”  
“We need to have a conversation about your continual need to break the law.”

He sits down on the couch next to me, and I shift so I’m sitting on his lap, straddling him.  
“You love me.”  
“Yes, and I’d like to not have to arrest you. Stop breaking the law.”  
“Do you trust me?”  
“Sometimes.”  
“Can you trust that I only break the law when I absolutely need to?”  
“I can try. Can you trust me enough to talk to me before breaking the law? Maybe I can help with things.”  
“I can try…Don?”  
“Yeah, baby?”  
“Promise me you’ll be careful at work? I’ve had this awful feeling for days…Like I’m going to lose you.”  
“I’m always careful.”  
“No, you aren’t.”  
“I promise that I will be careful, and not walk into dangerous situations alone.”  
“Guess that’s as good as I’m going to get, huh?”  
“It’s the best I can do babe. I’m a cop. It’s kind of a dangerous profession.”  
“You know…Maybe we need less dangerous jobs.”  
“Being a cop is all I’m good at.”

I look at him and blink.  
“Oh shut up Mars.”  
I laugh and say:  
“Let’s go to bed. I have an early class tomorrow.”

****************************  
****************************

The next morning, I’m at the office when Keith comes in. We’re talking about Mindy O’Dell when a call comes in regarding a break-in at her house.   
“Batando?”  
“That’s what I’m hoping.”  
“Want me to come along? I have experience with him.”  
“Yeah, Keith. That’d be helpful.”  
Keith blinks at me and says:  
“I didn’t expect you to agree to that.”  
“Veronica made me promise I’d be careful, so I figure extra backup can’t hurt.”

At the house, Keith and I go inside while Sacks stays outside. While I’m clearing one of the bedrooms I’m hit in the back of the head with a bat. I fall and see him swing the bat back again, preparing to hit me a second time. As he starts his swing a gunshot rings out and he falls backwards.  
“Don? Don, stay with me. Focus. Stay awake.”  
I hear Keith call out on my radio:  
“Officer down, officer down.”

He puts his hand on my chest and says:  
“Don, Veronica will never forgive me if you die. You have to focus on staying awake.”

While we’re in the ambulance, I hear Keith make a call.  
“Honey? You need to meet us at the hospital. Don’s hurt.”

When I wake up, Veronica is sitting in the chair next to my bed, holding my hand.  
“How long?”  
“You’re awake.”  
“How long have I been here?”  
“Two days.”  
“Babe, you’re still wearing the clothes you left the apartment in. Have you not been home?”   
“I wasn’t about to leave you.”  
“Did you sleep?”  
“Yeah. This chair folds out into a very uncomfortable bed.”  
She has tears in her eyes when I look at her, so I move over in the bed, making room next to me.  
“Come here, baby.”

She climbs into bed with me and puts her head on my chest. I wrap my arms around her and hold her while she cries.  
“It’s okay, Veronica. I’m okay.”  
“I could have lost you. If Dad wasn’t there, you could have died.”  
“I know, baby, but I didn’t. I’m fine. It barely even hurts.”  
She laughs.  
“Yeah, that would be the heavy-duty painkillers dear.”  
“So, what’s the damage?”  
“Skull fracture, some minor swelling.”  
“What do the doctors say?”  
“That you’ll make a full recovery. It’ll just take time. You might have some slight memory loss, dizziness, and headaches.”  
“Did they say anything about me going back to work?”  
“They said it would be a few months. They also said that you need to avoid strenuous activity for at least 6 weeks.”  
“Well, that is zero fun.”

She moves her head away from my chest and tilts it up so she can kiss me.  
“I love you.”  
“When can I come home?”  
“Doctor says a few days.”  
“Who is acting sheriff while I’m down and out?”  
“Dad.”  
“That makes sense.”

****************************  
****************************

Two and a half months after Don came home from the hospital and after I officially moved in with him, he has his first day back at work.   
“Remember, nothing too strenuous at work. Desk work only.”  
“I can handle that. What are you doing today?”  
“Eli needs my help with something, and I still need to pack for my internship.”  
“Don’t get into trouble helping Navarro. No breaking the law.”  
“Deal.”

Three months later (the longest three months of my life) I’m back from my internship and we’re packing the apartment to move to Stanford. While I was gone for my internship, Don decided he was done with being Sheriff because of ongoing issues with headaches and memory loss so he quit. He bought a building in Fremont that has commercial space on the ground floor and an apartment above. His plan is to open a bar on the ground floor and we’ll live upstairs. I’ll finish my BA at Stanford and then apply to Stanford law.   
Our plan initially was to move back to Neptune after I got my law degree, but our life in Fremont was a happy one. Don was happy running the bar, and business was good. We got engaged during my second year of law school, but I’m still on the fence about the actual wedding part. As good as our life was, the thing that made the decision for us not to return to Neptune was our ‘engagement present’ from Vinnie. Apparently, at the beginning of our relationship, Vinnie had been watching Don. He sent us a copy of a video he took of us that first night when Don had me bent over the couch. After he sent the video to us, he posted it online. We got lots of calls the first couple of days it was up, but thankfully we had been together long enough that no-one suspected Don of making the video.

About a week before my 10-year high school reunion (which I am not going to, thank you very much), Logan calls me.  
“Veronica? I need your help.”  
“I don’t really do that anymore.”  
“Please…I didn’t kill her Veronica.”

After I get off the phone, I start packing a bag. By the time Don comes upstairs for the night, I’m all packed and ready to leave in the morning.  
“Going somewhere, baby?”  
“Neptune.”  
“Ah yes…Logan Echolls is in trouble.”  
“I’m just helping him pick a lawyer. He insists he didn’t kill Bonnie. I’ll only be gone a few days.”

He walks over and kisses my forehead.  
“So I’ll see you at the reunion then?”  
“No. I’m not going to that, and I’ll be home before then anyway.”  
“Veronica…You can’t help but get involved when it comes to Logan. You will end up investigating and won’t be home for weeks.”  
“That’s not true.”  
“Honey, it’s okay. I knew who you were and where your soft spots were when we started dating. You go help Logan, and I’ll come to Neptune for the reunion, which you know Wallace and Mac are going to drag you to.”  
“You may have a point. You promise you’ll come to the reunion and not judge me for the amount I drink while forced to deal with those people?”  
“I promise. When are you leaving?”  
“In the morning.”  
“Good.”  
“Good? What? Eager to bring your girlfriend over or something?”  
“Oh, Veronica…You know you are all the woman I can handle. And even then I can barely handle you.”  
“I love you.”  
“Does that mean we might be able to plan our wedding at some point?”  
“Maybe. At some point. For right now though, I have a few hours before I have to leave. Show me how much you love me.”  
“Gladly.”

****************************  
****************************

Veronica had been gone for a week when I walked into her high school reunion to meet her. The first person I ran into inside was Wallace (well, it could have been worse).  
“Hey, Wallace.”  
“Hey man. Veronica is outside talking to Logan I think.”  
“Of course she is. Point me to the bar?’  
“Better, I’ll walk with you. I need another drink myself.”

A few minutes later, we’re standing with Logan, Mac, and Veronica, drinking and talking, when Madison walks onto the stage to start talking at everyone. She talks about the grads that are missing and starts showing pictures and videos. Suddenly that video that fucking Vinnie took of Veronica and me is on the screen. Wallace takes off, mumbling about getting it shut off. Veronica puts her hand on my arm and says:  
“Ah, Neptune High. I had forgotten, but you really are on a hell mouth.”

There’s laughter and loud obnoxious comments coming from over by the bar, and suddenly Logan is gone. I look over and he’s throwing punches. I kiss Veronica on the side of the head and head over to join in. Next thing I know, I’m fighting alongside Logan, Wallace, Dick, and Eli. I see Veronica out of the corner of my eye setting off the sprinkler system. Madison walks over to her and says something that Veronica clearly doesn’t like because Veronica punches her in the face. (It’s a good punch. I’m quite impressed.)

Once we’re all outside, Mac says:  
“Shall we go to Gia’s afterparty? Could be fun.”  
Veronica says:  
“More alcohol?”  
“Yes, Ronnie.”  
Veronica looks at me and says:  
“Babe? Can we go?”  
“Is Logan going?”  
“No.”  
“Then yes.”

At the after-party, we drank and danced, but I could see Veronica’s brain working on Logan’s case. (She can’t hide things as well as she thinks she can.)

Afterwards, we go back to Keith’s and collapse into bed. In the morning Keith lets us know that Eli’s in the hospital. They both leave to go to the hospital, but when Keith comes home, Veronica isn’t with him.  
“Where is she?”  
“She had a thought about Logan’s case. She left with him.”  
“Of course. She can’t help herself.”  
“And your brother is a dick, so the sheriff’s department is less than useful.”  
“Being a dick is a Lamb family trait.”  
“Were you expecting me to argue with you?”  
I laugh and say:  
“Nope.”

When Veronica gets home a few hours later she’s clearly shaken up. She climbs into my lap as I’m sitting on the couch watching tv with Keith.  
“What happened baby?”  
“Crazy dude tried to kill me. On the plus side, I solved the case and surprise, surprise, Logan is not the one who killed Bonnie.”  
“Veronica…”  
“Oh, and I may have vilified your brother in the eyes of the good people of Neptune…Sorry?”  
“Dan’s an asshole and an incompetent cop. You’ll get no crap from me about that.”

She looks at Keith and says:  
“Can I help with Eli’s case?”  
“No. I have a source. Stay out of it. Go home, Veronica.”  
“We have dinner here with Logan tomorrow night. I’ll go home after that.”  
“Fine.”

Veronica nuzzles into my neck and says:  
“Let’s go to bed.”

Keith looks at us and rolls his eyes.  
“Don could sleep on the lovely sofa bed.”  
“Or my fiancé could sleep in my bed with me, just like he does at home Dad.”  
“Fine. But you two know the rules.”  
“Yeah, yeah…no sex in your house. Got it.”

The next evening we’re making dinner while we wait for Logan to show up when Keith gets a phone call and says he needs to go outside for a minute. I step out on the porch to get some air before having to deal with Logan and I see a car with Keith and another man in it get hit by a truck. As I’m running towards it I spot Logan. I yell at him:  
“Get the driver! I’ve got Keith!”

We both get to the car at the same time and pull the men out just before the truck hits the car again. I call 911 and while I’m on the phone with them, Veronica comes running out calling for Keith.

We all go to the hospital with Keith and Sacks. Sacks dies on the way, he took the brunt of the truck hit. Keith is in a coma but expected to pull through. After being at the hospital for hours, Logan and I are finally able to convince Veronica to go home. She falls asleep in the cab on the way and I carry her to the house. Logan opens the door so I can carry her inside.  
“I’m going to head home. I’ll come by tomorrow to see how she is.”  
“Thanks, Logan.”

He leaves and closes the door behind him. I carry Veronica to the bedroom and put her in bed before heading out to the kitchen to clean up the dinner we never had. A few minutes later I hear:  
“Don?”  
“I’m in the kitchen sweetheart.”

She comes into the kitchen and wraps her arms around my waist.  
“Come to bed. I need you next to me.”  
“Okay baby.”

We lay down in bed and she curls herself around me. She’s quiet for a minute, and I think she’s asleep, but then she whispers:  
“When I went to the hospital yesterday after the incident with Luke, I got some news.”  
“What Veronica? What’s wrong?”  
She sits up, looks at me, and puts her hand on my face.  
“Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I’m pregnant.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. It’s still early, but they said that everything looked good.”  
I reach for her face and pull her close to kiss her.  
“Are you happy about this sweetheart?”  
“I think so. Are you?”  
“Thrilled. I just am trying to temper my reaction so it’s equal to yours.”  
She smiles and shakes her head slightly.  
“Idiot.”  
“I love you.”  
“And I love you.”

She snuggles back into my arms and is quiet for a minute.  
“You know I have to stay to take care of Dad, right?”  
“I know baby. I’m going to call Grace in the morning and let her know to hire another bartender and that she’s officially in charge. She’s been wanting more responsibility and our apartment. She can move in and be the onsite manager. We’ll buy something here.”  
“You’re alright with that?”  
“Of course. It’s Keith.”  
“You like running the bar. What will you do here?”  
“Well, I heard from a little birdie that Neptune might need a new sheriff. Plus, my soon-to-be-wife is a lawyer and a P.I. so I’m pretty sure even if I don’t get the job as sheriff we’ll be okay for a while.”  
“You know I have to help Eli with his case, right?”  
“Yes. Just like you know I’ll be with you every step of that process. It’s dangerous. You aren’t going alone.”  
“Yes, bossy.”

****************************  
****************************

A few months later we move into our new house, complete with a ground floor apartment for Dad. Dad has decided to retire from the P.I. business, leaving Mars Investigations to me. I needed help at the office, so Mac came to work for me, handling all of our gadgets and hacking needs. 

When Eli first got out of the hospital he went back to the club. Jade took Valentina and left him and he is currently having a really tough time. His garage just closed a couple of weeks ago. He took a payout from the county instead of pursuing his case, so I’ve been pretty pissed at him and we’ve had a few blow-up fights. But today…today I’m going to him to offer him a job. I park outside his uncle’s shop and get out of the car.

“What are you doing here V?”  
“Needed to see you.”  
“Need to yell at me some more?”

He walks closer to me, close enough that I could reach out and touch him. So I do. I wrap my arms around him and hold on until he hugs me back. I whisper:  
“You know I love you, right?”  
“Yeah, V. I know. I love you too.”

I let go of him and step back.  
“Come work for me.”  
“I tried that before, remember? I wasn’t a good P.I.”  
“You were great at the investigation part. You just need to stay detached and not beat anyone up.”  
“You’re pissed at me. Why would you give me a job?”  
“Because when shit hits the fan, as it so often does, there is no one I trust more to have my back.”  
“What about Don?”  
“He wants to be sheriff again. I’m not sure why. Maybe he just enjoys the constant reminders that I’m smarter than him.”  
“Takes a special kind of masochist to love you, Veronica. He is well aware that you’re smarter than him. We’re all aware that you’re smarter than us.”  
“You always knew how to sweet talk me, Eli. Come work for me.”  
“Fine, V. You win. When do I start?”  
“Tomorrow.”


End file.
